People flocked to central London on Saturday to join the queue for Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin, defying government warnings to stay at home to avoid queuing for hours to pay their last respects to the monarch who sat on the throne of the United Kingdom. for seven decades, according to Reuters.

Britons stand in huge queues to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth IIPhoto: George Cracknell Wright/LNP/Shutterstock Editorial/Profimedia

Tens of thousands of people have already arrived at Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin in a steady and solemn stream, queuing for hours in the dark and cold to pay their respects to Britain’s longest-serving monarch, a testament to the affection with which he is held.

On Saturday morning, the Ministry of Culture announced that waiting times for Westminster Hall had reached 16 hours.

Like many others, Sarah Boniface, a 60-year-old estate agent, was in tears and emotional as she left Westminster Hall on Friday night after standing for 14 hours after seeing the new king at the wake.

“It was worth every minute. Every minute,” she said, visibly fighting back tears. “I was so lucky to pay my respects to the Queen and see our new King.”

Officials began to arrive in London

Monday’s state funeral, which will be attended by almost 100 presidents and heads of government, including from the United States, France, Australia, Japan, Jamaica and Canada, is likely to be one of the biggest formal events ever held in Britain.

On Friday, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern passed by the coffin – one of the first leaders to arrive in the British capital.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney described the crowd in central London as “a huge and diverse gathering of people from all over the world.”

On Saturday, King Charles III will meet with the prime ministers of the other 14 countries where he heads the state. He will also meet with emergency workers who are helping with funeral arrangements.

Later, the focus will shift to the youngest members of the royal family and their vigil.

Grandchildren of the queen, near the hearse of the sovereign

The heir to the throne, William, and his brother Harry, who have separated in recent years after Harry moved to the United States, will both stand at the coffin in military uniform.

Harry has served twice in the British Army in Afghanistan, but has still appeared at processions in costume after losing his honorary military titles when he stepped down from public royal duties.

The vigil will take place next to the oak coffin, which rests on a purple draped hearse, draped with the Royal Banner and topped with the Imperial State Crown.

The two siblings will be joined by their cousins ​​Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, children of Princess Anne, Princess Beatrice and Eugenia, children of Prince Andrew, and Louise and James, children of Prince Edward.

Police reported that a man was arrested for violating the Public Order Act after a disturbance near the coffin site on Friday night.